9 Things I Love about Summer

I love summer. 

It is my time to catch up on chores around the house and deep clean every nook and cranny. I wash windows and clean baseboards. Are you still there? Because that is a bold face lie. Sorry, Mom, no baseboard washing is happening! However, I did redo my kitchen and organize my desk area. That is something, right?

All year long I go and go until my tank is empty. One of the perks of teaching is the summer...it's flexible and it is GOOD.  I LOVE everything about the summer.

Except the bugs and summer school. 

Once July starts to creep up, I am actually relaxed and able to breathe again.

Here are 9 reasons I live for summer:

1. Flip Flops- growing up in sunny Southern California I was always barefoot. Sandals were a necessity unless I was in cleats. I have so many pairs of flip flops that it is just shameful - but it doesn't matter-  I always buy a new pair to commence summer. This is what I bought this year from my favorite store...TARGET!

2. Late Nights- whether I am binge watching the latest show or enjoying a movie with the girls our nights are just chill. I admit that as the girls get older they like to do more stuff with their friends and less with me. I am okay with that-  I catch up with friends for margaritas or marathon phone calls that fill my bucket.

3. Pool Time-  This year has been less sunny... the rain. UGH. But when the clouds part and the rain stops we are in the pool. When the water eventually heats up I'm so in! I love a good pool workout. Easy on the joints! It makes me feel a little better about the Chinese food we ordered for dinner. EGG ROLL anyone?

4. Barbecues- It's no surprise I like to have parties and entertain and in the summer it is easier. Our schedule isn't so jam packed. It's easy to call friends and tell them to grab some BBQ essentials and come over. The kids run around, get hot and sweaty and WORN out and we get to drink and laugh and be awesome. Our favorite bbq treat, S'mores! I did just find this little gem on Pinterest...called a Woof Em. And summers are for trying new things too,  we are always looking for new recipes so we will try this one over the 4th of July weekend.

5. Peaches- I had two peach trees in my backyard as a girl. I will admit the chore of over ripened peaches is enough to make me turn up my nose once or twice but I still love seeing ripe seasonal fruit. We enjoy fresh fruit smoothies too and our crisper is loaded full. I don't like fruit flies- so I always have apple cider vinegar out to catch those pesky suckers. Peaches always remind me of my summers as a young girl.

6. Ice Cream- It's okay to eat ice cream at  anytime of day -  at one or four or seven,..enough said. We made no churn ice cream this year. It was easy and delicious. You can check out the recipe here. Of course we used gluten free cookies and didn't dye it blue! It was rich, a little goes a long way!

7. Reading- Oh, I love to get to catch up on all the books I started on the breaks during the school year.  I have finished 4 books so far. My favorite was The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis. Others on my list were, The Girl He Used to Know, Where the Crawdads Sing, and Educated.  The weather has been less than optimal this summer thus far, so I have read and completed more books than this time last year. Its either that or these were just realllllyyyyy good.

8. Traveling- I feel fortunate that we are able to vacation. We usually go back to California to see brother and his growing family.  But I love going to familiar places and new places alike. This summer we are staying close to home. I traveled a lot as a youngster and I am grateful for those experiences up and down the coast. It makes me love what I do and see the world and appreciate all that it has to offer. I will admit I am NOT a good passenger, I beg for Starbucks, perfect temperature in the car, and frequent pit stops... eh, oh well. You all know I am not perfect.

9. Planning- Yes, I am a teacher. There is something about the thought of a new school year that sends my mind racing in between happy hours on the deck. I love the possibilities. I do plan and organize and reflect on what I can do better for the year ahead during the summer.  I pin and scroll and pin some more. It's a blank space baby...

For the past nine years I have relished in my summers. 

I have spent these years making endless memories, and days filled with nothings. My tank is filling back up. I love everything about summer...I relish in late nights, even later mornings, binge watching Netflix, lazy days at the pool... my list goes on.

What do you love about summer?

The Power of the Post

To Post or not to Post...

Oh boy, the infamous question, should I post it or not? Whatever your posting pleasure is... I feel that we need to stop before we post. Whether it be Facebook, (which I hear is for old people?!?!)  Insta (as the millennials are calling it) Snapchat (I am here for the filters!) or Twitter. I am no expert on posting etiquette, but my curriculum is heavy on digital citizenship and I have read books, researched and listened to enough podcasts to feel okayish to weigh in on the topic.

I should have started with this disclaimer  ***People's moral compass isn't what is in question right now, because I believe that most people are inherently good with a few minor flaws; present company including (heavy on the few)  I always do things backwards; eh, moving on.

In this day in age everyone is on line, digital dwellers or social media junkies.

I get it. The confusion happens when people are using social media for instant gratifications, bandwagoning or horn tooting. They use it to phish for attention or argue or defame a person. Now before you get crazy, I think it is important to be truthful and it's not all sunshine and rainbows all the time - but sometimes we feel bolder because of the screen. We have created this facade that words don't hurt if we type them... which in fact is the exact opposite- they spread faster and hurt more. Don't say something in a hateful post that you wouldn't say to their face; The anonymity of the internet is not anonymous... believe me.

Nothing can take the place of human face to face connection. So, in my day gig I try like hell to teach and share with my students what their digital footprint is and what it looks like. The choice is theirs and it's yours too.

What is a Digital Footprint?

Well, it is any and all information about someone and their online activity. Websites visited, emails sent, pictures posted are all captured in your virtual diary. So, unlike a diary that you can hide the key or erase something you wrote, your digital footprint is permanent.

Let me repeat that, it is permanent.

I know there is a lot of rules about what you should or shouldn't do but I am going to be honest, you go ahead and do whatever you feel comfortable with. I know I have students that follow my (social media) accounts- I do not follow them... (never a good idea)  But I think it is uber important to model the behavior that I expect from my students. I try to demonstrate good online behavior as they create their digital footprint.

I preach this to my students and I hope and pray that one day it will click.

I wasn't always this confident about my social media usage. It came with practice and hours of self loathing while I compared my life to everyone else's on social media. And then a I realized I was doing it wrong.

That was tough.

But as I figured some of my junk out, I realized that I shouldn't be using the internet to impress others but impacting them. Please don't get prickly if you share with me your daughter's achievements on the court, in the pool, on the dance floor, or in the classroom... I WANT TO CELEBRATE those victories with you and share in your joy! I simple am saying that with the wins...lets not hide the lows and alienate others.

It is about community near and far and we should foster it with truth and kindness.

In the meantime here are some tips that I use in my daily digital landscape. I share these to help navigate the social media waters that nearly wrecked me.

1. Think before you post.  Is it helpful? GO ahead post away, be a helper... Mister Rogers said we need more of them.

2. Am I whining? Then just don't, no one likes a whiner.

3. Don't post when you are emotional. Take the time to respond not react... we all have seen something that upsets us or triggers us. Breathe, scroll past, come back later if you must.

4. Be selective. Don't overshare. This is debatable; Everyone's barometer is different but I personally love to look back at my fb memories from 8 years ago and see how much my girls have grown up or how I have evolved as digital person myself.

5. Be honest. Don't pass something off as yours, don't lie. I know aesthetics matter but honesty rules.

6. Respect the power that social media has and proceed with caution.

As you go about your daily digital life keep in mind that we are all in this together. Share, engage and connect with others. Make them laugh, lift each other up and love everyone.

Confessions of an "Wantrepreneur"

Confessions of an "Wantrepreneur"

I have a confession: I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur. I have started and failed at many Multi Level Marketing (MLM)  businesses, from Pampered Chef to Chloe and Isabel.  I ask myself why did I fail? I think to be brutally honest I lost my gumption, my drive and it wasn't shiny and new.

I didn't put in the work; but more importantly, I DIDN'T WANT TO.

As I get older, 46 this year, cue disparaging music, I have less energy to put into excess things so they fizzle out. You can read more about me and my serial fizzer outer here. I was dumbfounded at how I could expect and receive great work from my students,  yet, I was failing at my own assignments. When I am struggling, I try to find the helpers so I reached out to a couple of fellow bloggers and asked for some guidance to get back on track with my budding blog that had sat dormant for nearly 3 years. They were insightful and smart and honest and you can read more from them here and here. More importantly they were the helpers. They were kind and smart.

Fast forward to note taking and journaling, and maybe some drinking, maybe not, I can't remember those notes. The daunting task was in front of me.  I realize that one thing always stopped me... everything that I have tried to do in my adult life had one common denominator as I fizzled out in the fetal position.

FEAR. 

I have never wanted for passion... I have it, I have been known to be too much for some people. AND  I come hard with ideas and projects and submerge myself in projects not to be seen or heard of for days.

When I am finished I am worn out and hungover and so done. THIS time I am going to pace myself and take the time to be the historian of my own life. I have always been critical of other blogs; not publicly of course; I am not cruel and remember, I want to be liked. But I look around at top bloggers and I think, what are they reading this for? I am reading it too... so something has me hooked. And then I remember a quote that rocked my world several years ago. It meant so much to me that I use it in my classroom as a conversation starter when people are being judgy or snarky. Theodore Roosevelt talked about the "Man in the arena" and then Brene Brown condensed the quote so perfectly and it resonates with me as I dare to face fear.

"If you are not in the arena getting your assed kicked, I'm not interested in your feedback." -Brene Brown

But IT creeps back in.

Seriously, that pisses me off. I have always considered myself brave and forthcoming and a truth teller. I am authentic and true. Why in the hell can't I follow through and swim through the oceans, find my niche and break through?  I am still trying to figure the fear part out...and who knows what will happen when I send this post into the flooded oceans of bloggers and judgy eyes to read. Please read it. JUDGY eyes and all.

FEAR. It is paralyzing. Fear of not being liked, or good enough, or just enough anything. What will people think? Well here it is, I don't care anymore. I don't care if you don't like my saggy arms, gray hair or perpetual bun. I am going to tell my truth about being a middle school tech teacher, mom and wife, living in a small rural community.

Recently, I was asked about my opinion of social media and teens and the flood gates opened. I have been known to go on rants about this. Because guys, I am in it. I see it. Both sides. So, this got me thinking... what if I took my rant to the streets of the Internet to help people...

Wallah... here I am. 

SO in my attempt to confess about being an "wantrepenuer" it isn't necessarily about making money, (that would be nice too!) but wanting to do more... for others and myself and to leave this world better than I found it.

I will also confess as I reach out and help others, I may ruffle a few feathers. But I encourage you to embrace those feelings and stick with me. My goal is not to focus on the dead and grotesque that the vultures of the Internet feed off of. Instead I will encourage and seek to find the sweet; I will not let fear paralyze me in flight. I will keep going even when the winds and rains are making it difficult, after all I am and always will be a hummingbird. Will you join my village?